Richard Nene wins coastal run

ZIMBABWEAN Richard Nene won the Scottburgh Half-marathon on Sunday over an out-and-back course on the undulating old South Coast Road in a relatively slow 71 minutes and one second, but was over 400 metres ahead of Simon Tsoanyale and Sipho Ngxongo.

Ngxongo (a new recruit to the Nedbank Club) and Tsoanyale finished at the Scottburgh Country Club shoulder to shoulder, and were both given a time of one hour, 12 minutes and 28 seconds. However, it was the Stella man who received the nod by the line judge to step up to second spot on the podium. Ngxongo had the consolation of leading his new club home for the team award.

After dominating the women’s race in last week’s Ronnie Davel off-road 16 km in Hilton, Janine Carey found the going tougher on the tar when she shared the lead with team colleague Miya Lawrie.

The Boxer duo ran well clear of third-placed local Debra Lambourn from the South Coast Strider club to finish in 1:27,07. Lawrie, who had a one-second advantage on the line, also won the 40 to 49 category, while Carey took the 35 to 39 group. Lambourn was almost six minutes adrift.

Local athlete Sibongile Duma was back on top of the podium at Longmarket Girls’ School in Pietermaritzburg for his win over Mr Price’s Bongani Mthembu in the annual Alex Wasps Half-marathon.

Duma’s strength made the difference on the hills, opening a 150-metre lead over Mthembu and leaving team-mate Washington Zuma one kilometre off the pace. Duma took line honours in 1:08,53. Despite taking first and third, the Boxer club struggled for depth, allowing Mr Price to secure the team prize.

The women’s race was a one-way street for Collegians Harriers’ Suzette Botha, who toured the capital in 1:26,57, also collecting the award for the 35 to 39 category and the team award.

Eskom Gijimas had the double in the 15 km walk through William Pellow and Maryna Gray, in 1:43 and 1:45, respectively.

On the track, Lee-Roy Newton made a useful return, recording 10,3 seconds for the 100-metres sprint, well clear of Fast Feet colleague Sabelo Bhodoza, who came in at 10,5 seconds.

Although hand-timed, this will be a pleasing performance for Newton, who battled through injury for most of last season and will now have his sights set on the qualifying time for the World Athletics Championships in Berlin in August.

Other top performances in Friday night’s opening league event came from Amos Monyani, the runaway winner of the youth 100 metres in 10,71 seconds, and Justine Palframan from Eshowe High School, who was untouchable with her 12,09 seconds in the youth girls’ 100 metres. The next local track league meeting will be this Saturday.

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